Foldable antenna



7 7 9 2 A E m TE MA E wm H m July 3, 1945.

Filed Jan. 25,1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 $1113! 3, 1945. H, H. HARSTED' 2,379,577 1 i l FOLDABLE ANTENNA I Filed Jan. 25, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 m 4! Q lllllllll/llllllllll/Ilfl! llllflllllllllilllllllllllllllli p liil lll lllllflll Ilrllllillll/Ill lIIII'lll/ll IlllIlll/llhlI/Il/l;

ready for use.

' damage thereto;

Patented July 3, 1945 UNITEDY STATE'S PATIENTEOFFICE l I I "2,379,577" I y ammmm v Harry H. Harsted,'Chicago, 111; 1 I I ApplicationJannary 25, 1943, serial No. 473,491 calms. (01. 189-26) This invention relates, in general,-to, antenna particularly adapted, though not necessarily limited in use with portable radio apparatus, and one of the objects is to provide animproved antenna or rod of .this character which will be of sectional construction, provided, with means whereby the sections, when detachediwith respect to each other, will remain connected together to prevent loss or misplacementof any of the-sections, and which separated, but connected, sec-- tions may be folded (together into a .compact bundle. l

A further object is to provide improvedmeans whereby the sections may be readily secured together, end to end, inan assembled relation,

A further object is to provide an'improved sectional antenna or rod of this character, in which the means-that maintains the sections connected together when they are-in disassembled relation,

Will also .serve as: at'means" for drawingor assembling. the sections together; with portions of the proximate. ends of adjacent sections telescoping witheachother." I l A further object is to provid'e ari improved se'ctional rod or antenna, in which, when the sections are connected together in assembled relation, the

antenna or rod will have the necessary rigidity and, at the same't'ime, the desired flexibility to permit it to bend or yield -without causing any A further object is to provide animproved antenna or rod of this character which will be simple, durable and'strong inconstruction; and effective and efiicient in operation.

To "the attainment'of these ends and the' acwill appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of *the several parts, hereinafter more fully described andclaimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of an antennaor rod of this character, constructed in accordance with tion sgdisconnected, but inalinemenhso asto be ,online 5.5, Fig. l.

Fig.6 is a detail sectional view ofone end section. and a portionof the adjacent section of arod, showing ,a modified form ,of the invention. Fig. 7 is a; sectional view, similar, to Fig.6, of

stillanother form of theinvention. l

, Throughout the specification, theadevicei will be described as an antenna, but it is to be under- ;stood that-its construction :is well-adapted ;-for

complishment of other new and'useful object as the principles of this invention, and showing .the sections secured together. and in position for use.

F .1 aview s n a jtb Fi .3. with'tne se other purposes. v l v v V The antenna consists, essentially, of-two. end sections [0, ll, withnintermediate sections 12, any numberof which latter maybeprovided, and the sections may be of any desired length, constructed of any suitablemateriaL-and are preferablyholvlow. The end section l lr-hassecured'to it atone end thereof, and in any suitable manner, as at I 3, a .flexiblemember or cable I4, In the, drawings, the-flexible member 14 may be secured by. solderingsorg' welding the same in position, asindicated at l3.;:-;"Thisflexib1e member l4 is of any suitable length, according t the number of sections. employedv in the antenn a.,,--1In.thegpresentexemplification of :this invention eight r sections are shown, and the flexible member passes through each of, the, sections 12 and into theflotheriend section 10.. I g

Withinthe section III- is a suitable anchor 15, to whichtheother endof: the fle ibl ber. I

is secured, 'as'at [6. 'Attachedalso to the anchor l5, as at 11, is another flexible member [8 which preferablyextendsithroughthe section [0 and has securedtoit, atits free end, a handleor gripmember l9. r

Encompassingthe flexible member vl8 within the end section 10,, is a: resilient element, 20 in the form of a coil "spring, oneend. of whichengages and restsagainst the anchor 15, and the other end abuts a; shoulder 2| at theend-of the section I0. Normally," the-resilient element ,20 will hold the anchor; l5'againstashoulder 2i! in the section ID, and the anchor I5 is adapted to be moved by the handle- I 9 within the section), and

againstthestressof the resilient element 20.

,The flexible member. I 4 is. of such a length that when the sections .of the antenna are detached, .as shown' in- Fig, 4, thesections may befolded with respectyto each other, andintoa compact bundle, Fig. 2 illustratingthe sections in a partially folded condition. When thesections are foldedtogether,, the; resilient e1ement,1in each of the tox ns oftheinvention, will, through the medium of the flexible member, maintain the sections in folded relation.

Assuming the sections to be folded, when it is desired to assemble the sections for use, they may be first straightened out or arranged in substantial alinement with each other, by grasping the section i and throwing the other sections outwardly into a substantially straight line, with the outermost sections resting upon the ground to cause 'the sections to assum e relative positions with respectjto each other, as illustrated in. Fig. 4. The operator then grasps the handle l9 and pulls upon the flexible member 18 so as to cause the anchor l to move within the section it), thereby drawing upon the flexible member [4, which will cause the proximate ends of adjacent sections to telescope with each other, in the manner shown in Fig. 3. When the sectionsare thus d'rawn together, they will have a tight frictionaltelescopic engagement with each other, which holds them together independently' of the flexible "riie'mber. After the sections have been thus drawn toether, itwm-be manifest thattne flexible member i8 would, under ordinary conditions project beyond the free end 'of'the section I0. However,

- the r'esilientel'ement 20, when the antenna's'ecnone are assembled, will'c'ause the anchor l5 to move backwardlyf-in the section l0 until it engages the shoulder 22, thereby drawing the'flexible memner'rs into the end section no. Obviously, "it would be immaterial as to whether the flexibIe member ll within the remaining sections is in a taut or loose condition.

Ifdesired, in ldrdl t0 fEQilltalte the drawing of the respective sections together in telescoping -i-'elation,- the proximate ends of adjacent 's'ections'inaybeproviued onewith an enlarged se'at -portio'n-23 withitsouter'edge 24 flared,'and the "other witha 'tapered' 'extr'emity '25, the' tapered portion 25 cooperating with the flared portion 21m guideth'e adjacent ends of the sections into telescoping relation. r

-In '-Fig. "S'there is show'na modified'form-ofthe inventiominwhi'ch theend section 26 is preferably reinforced, "as"at 21, by means "of a sleeve *or'tubularmember telescoped'thereover, and t'he 'epenend of the section, together with the" sleeve, f m'ay' be closed by -means of a collar '28 having an opening =29 theretlirough, and this opening '29 may be closed by means of 30 having a threadedextefisin"il, y means of which latter the antenna may be anchoredto the radioapparatus.

- The section 26 may be of any desired length,

an'df'at the othere'nd there is providedaseat'or socket 32 which may be formed in 'any'suitable manner, either by drawing out the endof'th'e section 26 or by means of an "additional tubular "member'32 sleevedthereover andsecured thereto'in anysuit'abIe manner. The upper endof the *se'atmember 32 is flaredfas at '33.

Within the sectionifi arranged ac'ollar or shouldertfwhich is anchored thereto, and slidable within the-sectio'rrfl is an 'abutment meniber '35,-a-c'o'il spring: 36 being 'disposed'b'etween'the abutment-member and: the shoulder "34. The proximate 'end hi the adjacent section '31 is sha1'bed to form a closure "38 having an aperture rtapfed so as-tobo operate with thefiared extr inity 33 of {the i seat br' socliet '32, whereby the a flexible meiriper tu which is secured at "one emu to the-entersection or-tne amenna -or rtu passes through the section 31, also through an opening 4| in the shoulder 34, and also through an opening 42 in the slidable abutment 35, and

is then either formed into a knot 43 Or it may be and also within the co'il'fspring 36 1's a tubular member 44 which may be of any desired length, and may be either attached to the abutment 35 orrest loosely thereupon.

With this form of the invention, it will be manifest that by holding the section 31 and then grasping the section 26and moving the same away f-roih'th'e section 31 to draw upon the flexible member 40, the alined sections of the antenna or rod will be drawntogether in telescoping 'relationwith'respect toe'a'ch oth'e'nin a%man- 'rier similar to the form of theinvention shown in Figures '1 to 5, with the exception that whenthe section '26 is moved away from the section 31, and as the "abutment'or collar 35 is free'to move lengthwise-of the section -26,the coil'spring or resilient member 36 will .be contracted or compressed. Theextent of compression of the spring -36-is controlled by meansof the tubular member 44, which will engage the shoulder '34 when the spring 36 is sufliciently compressed.

After the other sections of the rod or antenna havebeendrawntogether, the'end section may be telescoped bver the'adjacentsection 31, and as 'thespringBG is'under compression until thes'ection 26 is telescoped with the section31, it will be manifest that, as soonasthis telescoping relation is effected, the tension of the spring36 will'draw upon the flexible member III/and maintain the lattertaut.

The flexible member '40 is preferably in the form'of-a -cable,'and'when the sections of the rod-orantenna are separated andfolded, and even though-the-spring-36-"is under tension, there will be sufficient friction created by the bends of the flexible-member 40 while the sections are folded, to -permit thesections to "remain in a folded condition with respectto each other.

i-In the'formbf the invention shown in Figure "7, the spring 3fiandthe sliding-abutment 35, together with the tubular member, are omitted, and there may be provided in the end section 45 a shoulder 46 having an opening 4-1therethrough, and through which opening a flexible member 58 passes. -A knot orformationiais provided on the end of the flexiblemember, which is of a sufficient size to prevent such end of; the flexible member from being drawn through the opening '41. The end of the section 45 may be closed by means of "acollariflhavijng a cap 5i reiriovably threaded extension 5215mm an anchor for the alllt el'l fia. I

Iattachedithreto, and the cap isprovided with a In this" form of thePihVrg'ritidn, the upper end of the section d li mayfb'e' flared, asfatfil' to receive theproximateendiiof the rod section 56.

' Obviously, the fsh'oul'de'rillli "may be" provided at any suitable point throughout the length of "the section amend theflex'iblefniemberlw' may also "b'efof any-'desiredlength: Sufiice it to saythat,

with "this form "bf the 1 invention, like" the form shown inFigure 6, the section- 45 forms" a handle for drawing or pulling upon the flexible member 'd'raw'n" together'-'-'in toasters-imitation, Thereafter, the free end of the flexible member 48 will remain within the section 45. v

An antenna constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, and as shown in any of the preferred forms thereof, will not only possess the desired strength and rigidity, but will also be flexible, so that it will not be damaged by striking any object. When the sections are disassembled with respect to each other, they may be folded together into a small or compact bundle which may be readily transported. At the same time, when it is desired to make use of the an tenna, the sections may be connected in telescoping relation, very quickly and with little effort.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A foldable rod formed of a plurality of sections assembled together end to end, a flexible element connected at one end to one of said sections and passing through others of the sections for drawing the sections together, from a folded relation, said sections when drawn together hav ing a tight frictional telescopic engagement with each other, which holds the sections together independently of said flexible element, means connecting the other end of said flexible element to another of said sections, whereby the latter section will serve as a handle to draw upon said flexible element, and means within the last recited section serving, when the sections are in assembled relation, for taking up the slack in said flexible element, the last said means and the said flexible element being disposed within the confines of the periphery of the rod, whereby the rod will be free from operating parts extending beyond the periphery thereof, the last said means also operating to permit the said sections to be separated and folded together, and to maintain therod sections in folded relation.

2. A foldable rod formed of a plurality of sections assembled together end to end, a flexible element connected by one end to one of the sections and passing through others of the sections for drawing the sections together from a folded relation, said sections when drawn together hav+ ing a tight frictional telescopic engagement with each other, which holds the sections together independently of said flexible element, means coning to permit the said sections tobe separated and folded together, and also operating to main tain the rod sections in folded relation,

HARRY H. HARSTED, 

